This invention relates to equipment for manufacturing batteries and in particular to an apparatus for lifting and handling entire batteries or individual cells thereof.
During the course of manufacturing a battery, and especially large, lead-acid batteries for industrial use, for it is usually necessary to lift and move one or more cells of the battery from one location to another. For example, at one point during the manufacturing cycle of an industrial battery cell, the cell consists of a container or jar containing all the parts of the cell. The cell cover is then fitted onto the jar, sealed thereto, and the cell terminals are then welded, for example, to lead bushings which have been pre-molded into the cell cover. At that time, in this particular process, it is necessary to be able to lift and handle the cells. These cells typically weigh from 50 to 200 lbs. each, and care must be taken to ensure safe and efficient moving of the cells. Typically at this stage in the manufacturing cycle of an industrial battery, the lifted cells are stored on pallets or are deposited directly within steel battery trays in whatever cell formation is required in order to form the particular battery being fabricated.
One of the major problems, however, with trying to arrange and move these heavy batteries or cells is the lack of any convenient means of moving them. To palletized and then subsequently handle each of the cells is a cumbersome process.